Faded
by Joker0911
Summary: Makoto Yuki, the boy known as the Messiah of the Night, on a certain day, gave his only life and soul to save his friends and all the people in the world.…But as the fate demand, he now must gave his life away again and again to save just…one girl.
1. The Dream

The Dream

A group of teenagers is standing up on the top half-broken tower and facing against them is a large humanoid being with equally large jet black wings. While its whole body appears to be black, its face is white as a bone which is stuck in a manic grin while its eyes are nothing but deep black holes.

"All of your efforts are futile. Nothing can stop the fall." The Nyx avatar said with its menacing voice.

"Makoto-san, you should've taken my offer when you have the chance." It focus its attention towards the boy with silver eyes with his blue hair covering half of his face.

Makoto didn't say anything back, he just stares at the being in front of him with gritted teeth.

"What the hell! All of our attacks are doing nothing to it." A boy with a cap and goatee said with fear seething through his voice.

"Damn IT! Isn't there anything we can do!?" a handsome boy with silver hair said in anger.

The being looks up toward the sky. "It's…starting."

Then suddenly the moon looming over them begins to open, making a large deep red eye like object visible.

"You-'re…kidding." The brown haired girl falls to her knees muttering those words.

"Yukari-san…" A teal haired girl said towards the girl with tears in her eyes.

Whimper* A white dog cries in fear while the kid besides him, pets it with shaking hands.

Ignoring all of these exchanges, Nyx avatar said in deep fizzled voice. "Soon, Nyx will descend on this earth." Saying that it dissolves into numerous blue shards vanishing into the sky.

"It…vanished!?" a red haired mature woman said in surprise looking wildly at her surroundings.

"No…it just moves towards the moon." a blonde hair girl with beautiful blue eyes said pointing towards the moon now larger than before.

"Is it…falling?" The red haired girl said covering her mouth in surprise.

"I think so…" The blonde haired girl replies back grimly.

Then suddenly the blue hair boy walks towards ignoring all of his friend shouts and questions.

"Yuki? What are you doing?"

"Makoto-san…"

"Makoto…"

The boy aims the gun in his hand towards his head and then he pulls the trigger.

A gunshot sound fills the air, and a large mechanical being with red scarf and a harp appears behind him. The boy pulled the trigger again and another being with black suit and with jaw bone like head appears behind him again.

The two being then turns transparent and merges together into one. And in the middle of it,a humanoid being appears. It's face is the same as the boy in the front with only the color of its eyes and hair different. And It shines with such bright light that the others have to shield their eyes.

"What is that…thing?"

"Is that a persona?"

"It's so warm."

thud*

A gun slides around towards the blonde haired girl's feet. She looks at the gun. It is a normal handgun but with the words 'S.E.E.S' engraved on it. …It's her beloved's gun.

The girl suddenly jerks her head up towards the boy to see him smiling at her.

"…Live on." Softly saying those words, the boy starts to float towards the sky.

For a moment all of them couldn't do anything but stares at the boy in surprise.

Then they all get their fixing and runs towards the boy shouting his name.

…But it was too late. The boy is already flying towards the moon…towards the place where their enemy lies.

x-x

Another shockwave from the cosmic egg hits Makoto, making him kneel down in pain.

This is the fourth time he's been attacked by the same move and with each time, it's starting hurt more and more.

"Hnghhh…hnghh." Makoto takes a deep breath as he watches the egg like thing in front of him which is actually the true main body of Nyx. After crafting the Universe arcana with the help of velvet room using the bonds he forged throughout the year on this city, he's able to summon his ultimate persona, Messiah. And with its power, he ascended towards the moon where the main body of Nyx lies. He came here with intent to destroy it, putting an end to the mother of night once and for all, but it looks like he underestimated her. Nyx is too strong. Everyone of her attack hurts like hell. In reality, he should be dead a thousand times over,but…

Makoto smiles through the pain looking at the ground. They are there. His friends' voice. They are yelling, encouraging him, giving him power,…making him feel invincible. …Normally, if they are yelling this much, he would have told them to shut up. But, this time, he settled with just a smile on his face.

'I can't fail them now. I won't fail them now. No matter what happens, no matter what it takes, I will protect my friends, I will protect my world' and with these thoughts, Makoto stands up tall again with the persona known as Messiah behind him.

"Hnngh," then with a sigh, he slowly puts his hands up in the air and uttered a single word.

"Great Seal," The words leave from his mouth almost like a whisper but suddenly his body starts to shine brightly, then the light starts to fill the whole place, then all over the moon…all over the world until all the universe is filled with the shining white light.

'This is enough. This will be enough.' Makoto slowly closes his eyes as the blinding light fill his vision. 'If Nyx can't be killed, I will be the barrier between her and the humanity.'

"Heh," Makoto makes a short laugh. 'I wish I could've stay a little longer though.' Minato relaxes his body as the warmth blankets over him.

Then suddenly a dark feeling settled on him.

"What?" Makoto opens his eyes with a snap when a long purple black tendril like hand reaches for his neck.

"Ugh!", 'What is this?', before he could reach the hand to wrestle it out, many others like the hand from before appear in tandem, constricting all his limbs.

"What's happening?" Makoto croaks out as the hand on his neck began tighter.

'Ahhh, I'm about pass out!' Makoto tries his best to stay awake but as the hand gets tighter and tighter, and his conscious starts to fade. But, before he completely passes out, he saw a woman like shadow walking towards him.

"You will do." The shadow makes a sound but after that, for Makoto, all faded to black.

x-

"Hrk!" Makoto wakes up in cold sweat. "What was that just now?" He's lying in his back on a space that seems endless, all filled with white.

x-x

Makoto stands up and slowly collects himself. Feeling his senses, testing his limbs.

"Was that a dream?" Makoto said out loud as he feels the place around his throat where the hand was before. " That sure doesn't feel like a dream."

The 'dream' is mostly consistent with the actual events that happened. True, on that day on earth, he and his friends went to the the top of the tower, Tartarus, facing against an enemy much stronger than all of them combined. The mother of the night, a true primordial goddess, Nyx. But, using the Universe Arcana, he can able to stand at least on par against her.

And it is also true that, Nyx being supposedly indestructible, he had no choice but to use all of his power to create a seal strong enough to stop the god from destroying the world. Even then, he also have to give his soul, his life, for the seal to last forever,...completely leaving his friends, his life on earth, and staying here in this seal alone for eternity with just his memories. But, at least he's still stubborn enough to stay with his friends for a month without his soul, and while his body is slowly deteriorating. And on the day, where they all graduated, on the day where they all promised to meet, he finally left his home, the blue little planet known as the earth, forever at the lap of the girl named Aigis.

…But, there was never hands like those appearing on the way.

"… Moreover, why am I dreaming in the first place?" On his stay in this great seal (he don't remember how long anymore), there was never a time when he fall asleep or when he have a dream. All the time he's just staring at this endless space with his face betraying no emotions, just like a corpse.

"Maybe all this solitary confinement is starting to get to me." Makoto was man of few words, but after staying alone here for so long, he adopted a habit of talking to himself. "Maybe it won't be long before I went crazy and start to torture my friends.…Ahahaa." Makoto lets out a self deprecating laugh, when a sharp pain invades his head.

"Ahhh, what now?" Makot clutches his head and finds for something to hold on to. But, sadly the whole place is empty, so he quickly sits down. But, as the pain comes suddenly, it also goes out suddenly.

"What is wrong with me today?" Minato slowly stands up shaking his head. Then as he opens his eyes, the scene before his eyes is not the same scenery he's been seeing for years now, but it seems to be a city filled with people walking about, roads made with bricks and carriages being drawn by some kinds of creatures.

"What?" Before his mind can register what is unfolding before his eyes, many noises also starts to fill his ears. The voices of people shouting, yelling loudly. For someone whose only voice he's been hearing is just himself, he has to cover his ears for a moment.

After some time of getting used to all the noise, Makoto slowly unfolds his hands. The noises are still deafening but at least it was not insufferable like before. Makoto looks up towards the sky and true enough the sun is shining brightly on the clear blue sky. He slowly looks around the place. The first thing he notices is the people around him are not just humans, there are some sorts of lizards, cat-people…'Wait, is that an otter?'. True, that is an otter, or otter people.…For normal humans, this would come as a surprise, and true, he was surprised but that was not as surprising as him standing and not floating on white empty space.

"Was I ripped out from the seal?" Makoto tested his hands, he started to jump up and down a little. "Hm," Some people around him starts to look at him weirdly but he doesn't pay any attention to that. There are more pressing matters at hand.

His 'body' is not as weightless as before. And when he moves his hands, it doesn't feel like being in the clouds...Well, now he clearly has a body.

"hnngh," Makoto slowly breaths out. " I will just walk around first." Saying that Makoto walks towards the place he sees first.

x-x

Now that he has walks around for about thirty minutes or so, the first thing he notices is this is not the earth. …He knows that's given with lizards walking about but he still can't be sure before. The second thing is he clearly doesn't fit in here. While he was still in his school uniform from his school, everyone here is wearing some kind of medieval clothes. And he can understand what they are talking, but he cannot read their words. But, all of them ain't as important as the last thing he finds out.

"Hey, you with the blue hair, Are you traveling?" A burly man behind a stall asks him,smiling. "Do you want to buy an appa?"

'Hm, now to test a little hypothesis.'

"What's…what is an appa?"

"Hm? It's this fruit right here!" The man takes a red fruit from the tray nearby and present it towards Makoto.

Makoto then squints his eyes towards the 'Appa'. "…Isn't this just an apple?"

"Huh? It's not an apple. It's an appa.…wait a minute, Nii-chan, are you a foreigner?" The man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ummm,…maybe."

"Well, it can't be helped.…so, you don't even have our money, right?"

"…That's…true."

"Bad luck on the first customer." The man scratches his head irritatingly. "…well, if you want to change money, you should just go to bank.… Now get out of here, you are interfering with my business!" The man angrily shouts.

x-x

'Well, there are some inconsistency with the names but at least they can understand me.' Makoto,now standing in the shade of a building, thinks to himself.

'It doesn't matter how little I speak, at least now I won't have trouble communicating.… but now to the crux of the problem…', Makoto closes his eyes and concentrate. '…nothing?…not even one?' Makoto reopens his eyes and messages his temples.

'What is the meaning of this? Why can't I call any of my personas?' From the moment, he arrived to this strange place, he has not been hearing any of his personas. ' Others I understand, but…not even Thanatos, …Messiah,…even Orpheus?' then with a sigh, Makoto recomposes himself.

'Hnngh, no choice but just to move around until I can figure out something.' Makoto gets out from his spot and walks toward the street, when suddenly a loud childish voice fills the place.

"Move it! Move it! Get out of my way."

"Huh?" Makoto looks towards the voice and a young girl is running at an inhuman speed that there are even dusts flying around her.

"I said get out of my way." Many people move beside in fear of getting run over. But, Makoto just stares at the girl with his usual stoic face. 'Isn't she going a little faster than what normal human could?'

And before he could even finish that thought, the girl is already near him. 'Ah, I better move aside.' Thinking that Makoto with his instincts, honed by a year of experience of battling shadows on the tower, Tartarus, fighting against monsters and gods that even looms over the buildings, elegantly dodges the girl running at top speed towards him…

…but what he didn't take account to is that, the girl, running at what appears to be the speed of 50 miles per hour, being capable of stopping without losing any speed, and moves beside, … and sadly that beside is also where he dodged.

"Ah,"

"UH!"

Bam*, the two of them collided and the human meatball went rolling down the street. "AHHHHHHH!"

…but fortunately they are stopped by a carriage parked near there,...and unfortunately they crash right into it.

Boom*

"Uweeeeee!"

"Ugh," Makoto tries to stand with a groan. "Tchhh," when something stings in his arm. Makoto looks at his arm to see that it bruised to the point that now its bleeding. 'Ah, this hurts.….…wait, this hurts?' Makoto quickly looks at his bleeding arm again. 'What? I'm hurt?…but…that can't be.' That's true, his body is adapted to dark hour so, normal wounds are no inconvenience to him and moreover the last persona he equipped is Messiah, so he's not supposed to be hurt by any means physical.

'What does that mean? Does this mean not that they were not answering my call but…'

"Thief! Stop right there!" A girl's voice sounded from afar but Makoto can't pay any attention to it.

"Ah! Shit," The small girl besides him curses loudly and stands up, then she turns towards the boy besides her, "Sorry about running over to you. But now I must run! Live strong!" Shouting that, the girl runs back with inhuman speed again. Even then Makoto couldn't turn his eyes away from his wounded arm.

'Does this mean…all my personas were vanished?'

"Hnngh, hnngh." A girl with long white hair and beautiful eyes stops beside him.

"Hey, you, innocent bystander, are you alright?" Then she saw the wound on the boy's arm. "You're wounded."

Makoto finally broke out of his reverie and shakes his head to collect himself. 'Now's not the time to think about this yet', "Yeah, a little." Makoto said softly and slowly turns toward the girl. "I think I will-" but as soon as his eyes meet the girl, his breath got suddenly caught in his throat. "Ahh,ugh"

"Hm? hey, are you okay?"

'What's happening now again? I can't breathe.' Makoto clutches his throat. 'It's like somebody is holding my neck,' Then suddenly he remembers about his dream before arriving here. 'Was this all connected? Wasn't it just a dream?'

"Hey, reply to me! What's happening?"

The girl shouted towards him with urgency. But, he couldn't reply back as he slowly loses his consciousness and his visions starts to filled with spots. But, he can still see the girl shouting loudly towards him.

'Hm, she is kind of…beautiful.' Then he passes out again.

x-x

'Where am I again?' Makoto slowly opens his eyes. He seems to be in some kind of alleyway. And the first thing he noticed is he was lying on something soft…with…fur.

Makoto slowly turns to look at the owner of the lap he's sleeping on, and a large white cat greets him. "Oh, You're awake." and it…talks.

'This place sure is weird.' , "Um…can I get up?"

"Sure!" The monstrous cat said back in a high pitched voice. And with that Makoto slowly stands up and moves to the side.

"So, uh…can I ask…what are you?" Makoto asked the giant cat in question.

"Hehehehe." But it just laughs scratching its head.

"Puck is a spirit, of course." And the answer came from the girl beside it. Makoto looks toward the girl and, 'Ugh,' the pain from before comes again but not as intense as before.

"Did you carry me all the way here and wait until I woke up?"Makoto asks towards the girl.

"Yes, I had Puck's help but don't get the wrong idea. I had to stay until you woke up because I had something to ask of you. Healing your wounds and making puck your lap pillow until you woke up is all for my own benefit. So, I need you to repay me in kind" The girl said nodding to herself.

"You healed me?" Makoto said not to the girl but more to himself, and true enough when he checks his arm, it's not bleeding anymore. In fact,there's not even a trace of wound on his arm. 'Wait..."_Puck is a spirit,of course...is a spirit of course,…is a spirit."..._ahhh, magic of course. what did I expect from a place with walking cats and lizards.'

The girl stands up and walks towards Makoto. "You saw the girl who stole my insignia,right?"

"...You mean...that little blonde girl from before?"

"Yes,yes. Do you know who that is?"

"Not really, no."

"hggnh, I see. No helping that,then." the girl sighs to herself. "But, still you've given me the information of not knowing her, and you answered my question in return for healing you." The girl nods to herself again. " I thanks you, but I'm in a hurry. So, I'm going now. Your wounds should be already healed, but next time don't do anything stupid like standing in the middle of the street. This time it was just a girl but what if it was a carriage, if that happened you wouldn't get out if it with just a bruise on your arm. Ah, I'm not concerned. It's just a warning. And if that happened again, I wouldn't have no benefit in saving you. So, don't do anything like that again. Do you get it?" The girl said to the boy in front of her.

"...uh...ah,sorry, but could you repeat that from the second sentence? I kinda black out for a second there."

"Hm? Second sentence?" The girl asked back with a tilt of her head.

"You know...the one where you're saying...actually could you just repeat back from the start?''

At his question, both the girl and the giant cat stares at him with their mouths hanging open.

"Ah,um,oh...ahem." the girl collects herself with a cough. "What I was saying is...actually you know what, never mind, It doesn't really matter. As I had said, I'm in a hurry, so… good day to you!" The girl said that and walks out of the alleyway.

'Why is she angry?' Makoto looks at the girl again. "Gah!" And he suddenly have to clutch his head again as another headache occurs.

"Oi! What's the matter? Did you hit your head?" A high-pitched voice asked him from behind but he can't focus on that. 'Is that girl somehow connected to my dream and…my arrival to this place?'

"Sorry, Pauk. I had to run." Saying that Makoto runs after the girl.

"Huh? Pauk?" The giant cat tilt its head at the boy.

x-x

"Please wait a moment." After hearing the boy's voice, Emilia turns around.

"What's wrong? Do you need me for something?"

"Actually I do, but that's not what I'm here for right now." The boy catches his breath for a moment. " You said something about losing your insignia, right?…If that's true, can I help you find it?"

"Hm? You just said you don't know the thief girl, so how are you gonna help me find her?"

"Well, I saw her face and… I can describe her well enough…so I think that might count for something."

"Hmmm," That's true, the only thing she knows about the thief is that she is small and has short blonde hair. "I agree to that, but why would you want to help me?" The temperature around them drops for a little, not enough to notice but someone observant enough can sense it. "Do you have some kind of hidden agenda?"

"Yeah,"

"Huh?"Emilia has to double take the boy in front of her. "What did you say, just now?"

"Well, it's an agenda but I wouldn't say it's hidden giving that I'm about to told you." The boy closes his eyes for a moment. "…I just want to repay you helping me and healing my arm." The boy said with his face showing no emotions.

"Is that-is that so?", 'I can't read this guy at all.',"But, still, like I told you before, you already repaid me back by telling me you do not-"

"Yeahhhhh, and I said I didn't hear what you said before, remember?"

"Ah,um… that's true… but…," The girl stumbles her words a little.

"Why don't you just accept his offer?" Suddenly Puck, now in a very small form, came floating around and said in his high-pitched voice.

"Puck!" Emilia turns towards her spirit.

"I don't sense any malice from him."

"Reallly? Because he looks really suspicious, you know."

"Yeahhh, I know. The true is it's not that I don't sense any malice from him,… it's just I can't really sense anything from him." Puck said back putting his small paws in the air.

"Nothing? Is that possible?"

"I want to say 'No' but It's kinda hard to deny when he's standing right in front of us." At Puck's words, Emilia turns towards the boy again. Although he clearly heard what she and Puck just discussed, his face show no emotions, just an impassive face.

"Hnngh," Emilia sighs loudly. "I suppose you could help me, but… let me be clear, I can't do anything to thank you?" The girl says pointing her finger towards the boy.

"I know, I'm just doing this to repay you."

"Hmmph!" The girl makes a scoff and continue her towards her destination with the boy silently following her and Puck laughing behind them.

…"…So,uh…why are you small now?"

x-x

**Some indefinite amount of time later**

"Hnnghhhh…the city is too big to search for one persona with description alone." The boy beside her said making an exasperated sigh. They are now on higher grounds looking over the city.

"Hmmm,of course its big. This is the capital of Lugunica,… You don't even know that yo-, eh…" Emilia said looking at the boy.

"Ah, that's true. We still haven't ask your name yet?" Puck, from beside her, said. "Shall we introduced ourselves?"

"…Makoto…Yuki" The boy said back without even looking towards her. "Just an…ordinary human."

"Hm?" Emilia and Puck look towards each other at the boy's stranger answer.

"So…" The boy finally turns towards them. "…What about you?"

"I'M PUCK! NICE TO MEET YOU!" Puck cheerfully shouted and flies towards the boy. But the boy just stops him midair.

"…wasn't your name, 'Pauk' before?"

"My name was never 'PAUK'!", he said back while sitting on Makoto's palm.

"Oh… does your name change depending in your size?"

"Heyy? Are you listening to me?"

"And now that you become small, your name changes to Puuk, Huh?"

"Ah, Like I told you, It's not Puuk! My name is Pauk…ah, I mean Puck." Puck said his name back uncertainly.

"It's very unusual to see someone who can touch a spirit so casually." Emilia said looking at the boy. "… and with that weird clothes,… where are you from?"

At Emilia's question, some sort of confusion appears on Makoto's expressionless face, " …Not around here, that's for sure." The boy said nothing more and just keep scratching Puck's neck as he purrs loudly.

"Well, that's true, seeing that you can't read.…Is this country's language different from yours?"

"Who knows?" But, the boy just shrugs back.

"Now that I looks at it," Suddenly Puck flies out of Makoto's hands. "Although you look pretty skinny and you just pass out from one wound, you have a lot of strength than normal."

"Hm?"

"True," Emilia also adds in from the back. "And your eyes feel like they have seen many bloodshed and many battles." Then she walks closer towards the boy. "Don't tell me… is your country in war?" she asked in surprise.

But, Makoto just stares at her. "…Not to be rude but…why is my country's condition matter to you?"

"Hahaha, that's just like her." Puck said while laughing. "She can't just help but worry about other people."

"Is that so?" Makoto thought to himself for a moment. Then his lips curved into a gentle smile. "…But you don't have anything to worry about, My country's far from harm." At the boy's smile, even Emilia blushes a little and looks away. "I made sure of that." But, the another sentence the boy said, almost came out like a whisper.

"What did yo-"

"But, enough about me." Makoto interrupted her before she could finish her question. "I still don't know your name."

"Ah,that's true." Emilia thought to herself a little. "Satella"

"Hm!?" Puck looks at her in surprise, while the boy still shows no emotions.

"Satella. My name is Satella."

"Satella, is it?" The boy said slowly, and Emilia looks away as he couldn't meet the boy's eyes. "…Well, Satella-san, let's continue our search, shall we?"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'Huh'? It's not gonna search for itself, you know." The boy walks down the stairs after saying that.

Both Emilia and Puck stares at the boy with wide eyes.

x-x

**And Then…**

They are now walking in a street walking without destination as their last questioning also failed. Although Makoto have only seen the girl once (well,that's what he said), he can able to describe the girl down to last detail. The girl's eye color, height and she doesn't get how he knew this but even her weight. In some way, that's impressive but it's still doesn't help in their search.

"Ahh…Ummm…"

Emilia stops walking and looks towards the voice. A young girl is crying looking wildly at her surrounding.

"Hey, Makoto, Do you get the feeling that the child is lost?" Emilia asked pointing towards the girl.

Makoto then also looks at the girl. "Probably…but, that doesn't concern us." Then he turns back and walks again.

"But, if she's lost, we should do something for her, right?"

Makoto stopped again, then turns towards her. "…I don't think I need to remind you…but…the thief's not gonna wait for us, you know."

"…I know that's true but…she's crying, is she not, Makoto!?" Emilia angrily shouted back. "If you can't do this with me, that's fine. Thanks for all the help you give me. I'll handle it my own from here." Then she walks towards the crying girl. "…after I help that little girl…".

x-x

As she reaches the girl, the girl suddenly looks up with a bright smile, but as she saw her, the girl's smile falters and tears start to well up in her eyes again.

"I'm sorry I'm not who you are looking for." Emilia said putting on a kind smile. "So, what's the matter? Aren't your mom and dad with you?"

As soon as she mentions her parents, the tears swelling in the girls eyes fall down like a dam, with the girl crying loudly.

"Uh…um, don't cry. Onee-chan won't do anything to you,okay?" Emilia said in hurry, but it seems to have the opposite effect as the girl's cries become louder and louder.

"Hey,hey you don't need to cry, there's nothing to be scared." Suddenly Makoto comes here and said in a soothing voice kneeling in front of the girl. It seems to work as the girl stopped crying and looks towards him. "You lost your parents, don't you?…But, you don't have to worry, this Onee-chan here and I will search for your parents, okay?" Makoto said while smiling gently. "…so, you don't have to cry no more." Makoto said as he extends a hand towards the girl.

The girl while blushing, shyly takes his hand. "O-okay."

Makoto laughs softly and gently takes her hand and walks towards the street.…As Emilia watches the exchange. 'Why didn't it work before when I do that?'

Suddenly Puck came around from behind her. "Huuhhh, he rarely smiles but, when he does, it sure is worth it."

"Um! I wasn't staring!" Emilia angrily said failing to take in account of her red face.

"Nyahaha, Nobody's accusing you," Puck said back laughing mischievously. "But, still we should go after them." Puck said pointing towards the boy walking hand in hand with the little girl with a kind smile on his face. If people who don't know them see that, they look like brother and sister taking a stroll.

"…Ah!…Wait for me, Makoto!"

x-x

"Hnngh,still nothing." Makoto sighs again. He had taken off his overall coat, which was hanged around his shoulder, and he,himself was leaning on a bridge wall,over the pond, looking down towards the water.

They found the girl's mother after walking around for sometime, with the girl happily shouting towards her. The mother thanked them profusely and then they all went their separated ways.

"Why did you help me?"

"Hm?"

"I thought you were against the idea. Why did you help me in searching for her mother?"

"…well, I did say I'm gonna help you in finding your insignia, and I can't search around without you. So, the most beneficial thing is just help you." Makoto said with in his monotone voice. "So, just like you, I did that just for my own benefit."

"Is that so…",'Um?', "…but didn't you say you don't hear me before?"

Makoto glances towards the girl."…Ah, yeah, about that…sorry, I lied."

"Ah,…UMMMMMM." Satella starts to fumes like a cuttlefish, but she calms down with a sigh. "Hnngh, why don't you just admit that you just want to help the girl."

"Huh, you are the last one I want to hear that from." Makoto snorted.

"Hnngh, you are a little difficult…but, I think you're a good boy."

"Boy?" Makoto looks towards her with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't we about the same age?"

"That's not true." Satella voice takes a somber tone. "I'm a half-elf."

For a second, Makoto doesn't say anything back, then, "I see." after saying that he wears his coat again. " Well, seeing that blindly asking isn't working, we should devise a plan."

"Huh?"

At Satella's voice, Makoto looks towards her again, "A plan you know…,we should check around the place where your thing had been stolen."

"…But,…I'm a half-elf, you know." the girl said with a little raised voice pointing at herself.

"Why are you repeating that?…I heard you the first time." Makoto said tilting his head.

"Ah." Satella blinks her eyes for a second then suddenly she turns around and sits down covering her ear.

"What now?"

"UMMMMMMM!" Suddenly Puuk comes flying out of Satella's hair then punches him in the cheek.

"What was that for?"

"I just had to do something about this unbearable tingle I feel!"

"What kind of stupid reason is that?" Makoto asked back in annoyance, although the punch itself didn't hurt.

"Don't be mad, I didn't hit you out of anger or something. It's the opposite in fact." Puuk said back shaking weirdly.

"Hmmph, Makoto, you really are a dunderhead!" Satella said back while still sitting on the ground.

"Dunderhead? What's that?"

"Hmmph, whatever!" Satella makes pouting face and stands up. "You said to go back to the place where the theft occurred, just follow me." Saying that she walks towards her destination, still pouting.

"…why is she angry, again?"

"Like I said, It's the opposite!" Puuk said back with an annoying high-pitched voice squealing loudly.

x-x

"So, its around here,huh?" Makoto said looking around. 'Wasn't I here, before?'

"Uh, Nii-chan, you're back?" A loud familiar manly voice said from behind him.

"Hm, Makoto, do you know him?"

"Ah,…in a way." Makoto said back to the girl then he focuses the man again. "Um…can we ask some questions?"

"So, did you get your money?" The man asked ignoring Makoto's question while still smiling.

"Ah…well,…" Makoto nervously looks around and turns towards the girl behind him, whispering, "Satella, If this isn't too much to ask, can I borrow some money?"

She makes a weird face for a second then smiles apologetically "Um, sorry, I like to but I don't have any money."

"Uh, really?"

"HUH!" Suddenly a loud voice comes from behind. " You still haven't got your money!? Then why did you come back here again?" The man said angrily in a booming voice.

'Man, this guy's kinda annoying. I hope this is the last time I see him.'

"Now, get out my st-"

"Ahhhh, Nii-chan!" The man hadn't finished his words when a small cute voice sounded from near.

All three of them turned towards the voice to see that it was the mother and the kid they've helped before.

"Hm? What are you doing here?" Makoto asked looking at the mother-daughter duo.

"This is my husband's shop. We were just stopping by." The mother said bowing to them.

"Husband?" Satella said then looks towards the burly man. Suddenly the little kid comes running hugs the man. And the man, her father said back smiling and petting the girl's head. "Hey, there's my girl." Then he turns towards his wife. "You know this two?"

"Well, she got lost before and they found her." The woman said without her smile faltering.

"Is that true." at the Man's question,the little girl nod back energetically, "Hnngh," The man sighs loudly. " Sorry, I was rude to you, before. You helped my daughter and I want to thank you." The man said again smiling. "So, you said something about wanting to ask me something, what is it?"

x-x

Two of them are now walking on a seedy street and the sun is already about to set.

"See, helping that girl came around and work in our favor." Satella said to the boy in front of her.

"Yes, yes. I get it. You don't need to tell me for the tenth time." Makoto said back in an exasperated voice. Now they are walking in the part of the city known as the slums where the difference between the two parts is night and day. And they are here based on the information the fruit stall owner gave them.

Apparently, the girl who stole Satella's insignia is called Felt and she is well known in these parts. But, the man doesn't know where she actually resides, though.

"Hey, Makoto, can't we ask those guys around here?" Satella suggests looking over at the people nearby.

"Maybe," But Makoto doesn't trust them well enough to do that as they look like they might suddenly jump up and tried to rob them.

"Hey, can you guys hurry up? I'm almost out of time." Puuk said in a high-pitched voice while yawning.

"Out of time?"

"Ummu, I may have a cute apperance but I'm still a spirit. It takes a lot of mana just to stay in physical form, so at night I return to the crystal I was summoned from and prepare for the sun rise." He said with sleepy eyes. "On average, My ideal staying time is nine to five."

"… Can't you stay a little longer?"

"No can do, I'm very tired even now." Puuk said as his body becomes transparent.

"We will be fine without Puck." Satella said while taking Puuk in her hands. 'Wait, Puck?', "Sorry to work you so hard, Puck. We'll handle things from here so get some rest."

"Ummu, Don't do anything reckless, okay? If something happen,use the odo to summon me again." Satella nodded at Puuk…ah, Puck's words. Then he turns towards Makoto. " So, Makoto,take care of the rest,okay." Then he suddenly broke down onto several green orbs then they all gather together into a green crystal.

'So,…spirits, huh.'

x-x

"So, …can you still fight without Puu-ahem, Puck or can you only heal? Makoto asked without looking back.

"No, I can also use ice magic."

"Ice magic, huh?"

"You know," Satella stop walking as they reach a small bridge over water. "I can ask the lesser spirits."

Makoto also stop and turns towards her. "Ask what?"

"Where to find that 'felt' girl." Then She said some kind of words that he can't understand and many blue orbs of light, almost like fireflies, appear in their vicinity.

Makoto looks over them in surprise. "So,…are all of them like Puck?"

"No, lesser spirits are as the name suggests not the full spirits like Puck, but over time as they grow on, they gain self-awareness and become full on spirits." Then all those orbs of light gather around her, making her almost glow in unearthly way.

'…Hm…she sure is beautiful.'

x-x

"So this is it, huh?" Both of them are now standing, carrying a lamp in front of a run down building made of brick.… But to be fair, all of the buildings around here are run down. "Hm, can your spirits even be trusted?"

"Spirits can't lie." Satella replied almost immediately.

"…but they can still bluff, right?"

"Uh?" Satella then looks at him weirdly. "…um…well, I'm not sure."

"Hnngh." Makoto sighs loudly. " Anyway, I'll go ahead and look around. You only come after when I call you."

"Okay,then. I'll leave it to you."

"…I didn't think you would agree to this easily."

"Why?"

"I thought you don't trust me." Makoto said back in his characteristic monotone voice.

"…that's true, I don't trust you before, but…"Then she turns around and fully face him. "But, I'll try believing in you from now on."

Makoto stares at her for a moment. "Hnngh,…then I guess I got a lot to live up to, huh." Then he turns around and walks towards the door.

"Makoto"

"Hm?"

"…Do your best." Satella said to him with a smile.

Makoto doesn't say anything back. He just smiles and nods his head as he walks into the building.

x-x

"It sure is awfully dark in here." Makoto, carrying the lamp, looks around the place. There are all sorts of things in here. Some looks pretty valuable while others looks like they wouldn't worth a cent.

'Are those all stolen goods?' Makoto walks around the place…but he suddenly stops when he steps on something.

"Hm?" He lowers the lamp to look around his foot… to see large amount of red liquid.

'Are those…' Makoto then follows the trail the red liquid left to its source.

"UM!?" A large old mean slump near the wall while bleeding from his head. The blood flowing his head almost like a waterfall. And one of his arm is clearlu cut from his body and lying there on the floor making a puddle of blood.

"Wha-"

"Oh dear, you found that…" A alluring woman's voice echoes from behind him. "Well, I have no choice, then."

All of Makoto instinct warns him of danger, and he quickly tosses the lamp from his hand and pick up a stray iron stick from the floor to-

CLANG*

A loud sound echoes out as the stick meets with something.

"Tch." He quickly breaks off the attack and jump backwards.

"Huhhh," 'Why am I panting this hard?'

"Ara ara, I didn't think you could block that." The voice echoes out from somewhere again. 'Where is the voice coming from?' Makoto looks at his surrounding quickly. But the inside is pitch black and now that his lamp is broken, he can't really see anything. "Are you… some sort of knight?" The voice sounded again but here in this place it seems like it's coming from everywhere.

'No need to panic, this is not the first time I fought in the dark.' Makoto gripped the iron stick in his hand. 'The trick to fight when you can't see is not to thrash wildly but…'

"Hmmm, it doesn't really matter." After saying that the sound of footsteps become louder as the woman seems to run towards him.

Suddenly he feels a presence near him. 'But, to let them come and…' he quickly moves his body beside a little as a blade cuts through the air in the place his chest was before. 'NOW!' then he quickly changes how he holds the stick and with a backhand and drives it towards the place where he thinks her arm should be.

Squish*

It seems to hit the mark as the blood sprouted to his face and from the feel, it also seems to hit her bone. 'And now that I know her location…' Then he jumps a little and kicks the woman in the head which sends her far back before he quickly retrieves the stick from her shoulders.

Thud* the woman seems to hit some sort of shelf and things from that shelf falls down making a lot of noise.

The moonlight shines from the windows making him visible but he still can't see the woman he just kicked.

"…Makoto! What was that noise?" Satella's voice comes from outside but he still can't focus on that as the woman starts to move.

"Ahhhhhh, you are clearly skilled. Even some of the knights aren't this good." The woman voice comes again now more crazy sounding than before. "But, it's sad that we must end our dance so soon."

'Hm?', "Ugh!" Makoto looks down towards the part where the pain is coming from to see his chest dripping with blood. 'When did she…'

Thud*

The stick he's holding was dropped as the pain from his chest become unbearable. "Ahh," Makoto falls to his knees then on his side while gripping his chest.

"…Makoto, what's happening? I'm coming in now!"

'Don't!'

The door slowly creaks open with a loud noise. "Makoto? Where are-"

Squash*

With a sound of blade cutting through the skin, the white haired girl falls beside him with a thud.

'Satella! No' Makoto tries to reach his hand towards the girl. 'Please don't die yet!'

"Now that I look at it, you have such a pretty face."

Makoto suddenly stops his hand as the woman voice sounded near him again.

"I wonder if your insides are also this pretty." With ecstasy in her voice, the woman sits down near him. But when he tries to look at her face, another great amount of pain shots through his chest.

"Ahhhhhh, so beautiful!"

'This hurts…' His vision starts to become hazy as the pain becomes unbearable.

The woman makes some sort of noise but he can't hear it anymore. 'I can't die here, I can't die yet, I still have thing to do, I can't die yet, I can't die yet, I cAn't DiE Yet, I Can'T dIE yet, I CAN'T DIE YET, I CAN'T DIE YET!'

The woman makes all sort of noise but with the pain and his mind thinking those words like a mantra, he can't hear any of it. And this goes for sometime until he can't see anymore and it's all faded to black.

x-x

...

...

...

...

'Where am I?'

''Hey, you with the blue hair, are you traveling?

'What are you talking?' Makoto slowly opens his eyes, to see a burly man smiling at him.

"Do you want to buy an appa?"

..."...What?"

-x-x-

**Sorry for the long Chapter. I kinda can't decide where to end.**


	2. Truth or illusion

'Where am I?'

''Hey, you with the blue hair, are you traveling?

'What are you talking?' Makoto slowly opens his eyes, to see a burly man smiling at him.

"Do you want to buy an appa?"

..."...What?"

x-x

"What did you say just now?" Makoto asks the familiar burly man in front of him.

"Hm? I said do you want to buy an appa?" The man said taking a red apple from a nearby tray and presenting it towards him. "Here."

"….",Makoto stares at the appa in front of him with his usual impassive mask. "Old man, can I ask something?"

"Huh?", The man said with a tilt of his head. "You don't like appa, if so I have other fruits, take a look." The man said pointing towards all the trays beside him with various kinds of fruits.

"…No, that's not what I want to ask,…are you married?"

"Huh?"

.…

.…

The man stares at the boy in front of him uncomfortably. "Ahh, geez …um, I mean…uh," The man squirms like a little girl while Makoto looks at him without batting any eyelash. "Uh, sorry boy, uh,… I don't swing that way. but, with your looks you could get an-"

"Just answer the damn question, Are you married or not?"

"Um,…Ahem, well," The fruit stall owner finally composes himself. "Well, I am…why do you ask?"

Makoto doesn't say back anything for a second, then…"And you have a daughter about this height and…" Makoto made a gesture with his hand, " With green hair…kind of like an onion?"

The man takes a thinking pose for a moment. "…Well, I wouldn't say onion but…" Then he suddenly realizes, "Hey, kid, how did you know all about this?" The man gives a suspicious look at the boy in front of him. But, Makoto just ignores him and look around the place. He turns left, right, up then again and again before he finally settles in front of the man's face again.

"…Thank you." Saying that he turns around walks towards the street.

"Oi, kid. Answer my question! Kid!"

x-x

"Was that a premonition?" Makoto thinks out loud as he walks in a busy street.

True, the old man story checks out,…at least if he takes up his words as he can't actually confirm anything.

"But, still…", 'Can this even be called premonition?', He never had one before but was they supposed to be this…vivid? Instead of having seen a glimpse, which normal premonition entails, it actually feels like he lived through it and…

Makoto checks around the chest area where he was…may…might…uh, will…no, would be cut open. 'It looks like the greatest problem is how to use my tense correctly.…Jokings aside…', Makoto thinks back to the time before.

He felt his flesh cut open, he felt his blood dripping towards his feet, he felt the burning sensation as the wind blew into his chest,…he felt the unbearable pain…as the woman sticks her hand into his wounds.

"Huuuh, Hnngh." Sweats becomes dripping down his head as he recounts everything that happen last…tonight…uh, 'Whatever…,' Then he calms himself with a sigh. 'But, when thinking it like that, It's hard to say it's premonition,…but…', Makoto stops walking.

Whether it was a premonition, a dream or something his crazy mind just imagined, the fact is…he actually doesn't want to feel it again. That's why he came here.

Any seconds now, if his premonition holds true, a girl will come running now…if it isn't, it's still fine, he could blame it all on his crazy mind, but! if she actually did come running… ' I can stop her right here, right now and take the insignia that Satella lost, back and I will never have to go to the house with the psycho ever again.'

Makoto smiles to himself at his thought, 'Honestly, I don't know if I should wish for the girl to come or not…' He did not even finish that thought, when a scream suddenly sounds through the street.

"Move it! Move it! Get out of my way."

'She's here!' Makoto looks towards the shouting trail of dust. 'That means my premonition is true, good to know I did not go crazy but…', Makoto remembers about his supposed death at that run down house again. Then he shakes his head and composes himself. 'That would only happen, if I can't stop her here.'

"I said get out of my way." Many people move beside in fear of getting run over. But, he's not, he knows that the girl will be able to sidestep him,…he hopes because he does not want to go crashing into that carriage again.

"MOVE ASIDE!" The girl loudly shouts but he does not move. 'She will dodges to the left,' then true to his premonition, the girl suddenly stopped without losing one bit of her speed and moves to the side.

'As expected,' Then Makoto with his inhuman reaction time and focus- *Crunch*

"Ahhhhh!"

Catches the girl left hand with force that some kind of noise came out, 'Ah, I miscalculated my strength.'

"Ahhhhh, Let me Go! Let me go!" The girl struggles to get free but he ain't having any of that.

" You have something that doesn't belong to you, now shut up and stay still." Makoto said then turns towards the street. "She will be here soon."

"Damn it, I can't get caught." The girl whispers with something akin to fear in her voice.

"If you don't want to get caught, you shouldn't steal in the first place, now just stay quiet and st-UM!" , Makoto suddenly breaks his hold on the girl as he feels the pain.

The girl then stands up, " Sorry, you force my hand!" Saying that the girl runs away again.

"Ahh!" Makoto checks the left side of his belly to see a blade sticking out. Then with gritted teeth, "Ummm", he pulls out the protruding blade. 'Ahhhh, I think I wouldn't die, it did not hit any vital organ, ' then he turns towards the now running girl, 'No, I can't let her get away, I can't let either me or Satella to get into the house." With that resolve, Makoto stands up and although blood is seeping to his clothes, he starts to run after towards the fleeting the girl.

"Give me that!" Makoto takes a nearby woman's robe…towel…uh,…poncho? and tied it tightly around his blade wound.

"I've already fought against a death god, I should've been retired. I really shouldn't be doing this."

x-x

'My name is felt. And I did not want to brag but I'm the fastest thief alive in the whole city of lugunica', Ever since she was little(not that she's any bigger now but), ever since she was a little girl, she has the ability run faster than even the wind, no kids or adults from slums can able to catch up to her and she's been relying on this ability to swindle,…that's a bad word,… to never give back any items she borrowed from unsuspecting people. The first time she took this job, the only thing she has to do is steal...takes some kind of insignia from one unsuspecting girl, no concern, this is not her first rodeo. BUT! What she was not informed of is the girl she's was supposed to steal from being capable of magic. But, she can still manage that. The girl's slowpoke magic is useless to her speed. After all she was supposed to be as fast as wind...as fast as wind...as supposed to be fast as wind...'So,WHY!? WHY!? ', "WHY is this guy catching up to ME!?" Felts turned around and shouted towards the boy running up to him. 'I stabbed him, right?, That's supposed to slow him down a little...right?'...Honestly, she didn't mean to stab him, she's just kinda panicked and..and...annnddddd...

"Hey, you will seriously die if you keep running with that wound.",' No, I don't want to be a killer!'

But, the boy didn't say anything back and just runs after her with his impassive mask. 'Come on, say something! This is creepy.'

The two human bullets run across the street, paying no mind, even a thought to their surrounding.

"Woahhhhh!"

"Ahhhhh, HEY, THAT's Dangerous!"

"Is this some kind of witchcraft?"

'Shit, at this rate, I will get caught. I have to do something.' With that thought, Felt unearthed another dagger then used it to cut the rope of the cart with fruits in it. The cart door slacks down and many appas fall from there, tumbling down the street.

"Hey, Kid! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Sorry, Oji-san." Felt offers a small apology, although she didn't mean it and even if she didn't mean it, she can't afford a big apology. "Ask that guy for money!" Felt said pointing towards the blue haired boy who's panting madly although his face is still the same stoic face. "Bye. Gotta run!" Then she continues her escape again. 'That's ought to slow him down a little.'

Then she steals…takes a glance at her behind to see the boy taking a tray from a nearby vegetable stall, making numerous cabbage falls down. "Huh?"

"Ahhhhhhhh"

"Shut up." After saying that to the shouting stall owner lady, he throws the tray like a ninja (which he probably is, she doesn't know anymore!), without slowing down, towards the appas on the ground and making them scatter like a role of marble. Then he also continues his chase.

"Are You Shitting Me!?"

x-x

"How much is it?"

"Two bronzes, Knight-san."

"Ahahaha,"The handsome red haired man laughs softly, as he takes out the money from his pocket. "I am off duty, so I don't think I am a knight today." The man put the money in the counter. "But, of course, I will still help if you need, though." The man said with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Reinhard-san." The woman said back with also a bright smile on her face.

"Haha, no need to." The man said with a wave then turns around.

"Move out of my way. I ain't kidding! Move out my way!"

"Hm?" A squeaky girl's voice comes sounding through the street and Reinhard looks toward it.

A girl is running madly while a blue haired boy with weird clothes is after her while clutching his left side of the chest.

"You know, if you want to ask for a date, you could just ask nicely. No need to go this far." The girl shouted loudly again but the boy's expression doesn't even change one bit.

"What's happening?" Saying that Reinhard prepares to go after them when…

"No, do not trouble yourself, Reinhard-san." The lady from the stall's voice stops him. "It probably just a lover's quarrel, no need to trouble yourself."

"Is that so?" Reinhard calms himself down. "Ahahaha, well they sure do look like couple." He said while laughing jovially. 'Although, are lover's quarrel always this intense?'

x-x

'Remind me again, why did I run after her in the first place?' Makoto thinks to himself as his wound doesn't stop bleeding. 'It seems like a pretty great idea at that time.' Makoto looks at the still running girl shouting gibberish in front of him. He knew she could run but he didn't think this fast. But, that's still no excuse to run around the town with a blade wound. 'I knew it was a mistake to hang around with Akihiko-senpai. His antics are rubbing off on me.'

"I'm begging you, Please stop! You know what! I will give you half of my pay.…well, maybe not half but…is one third enough for you!?"

'Does this girl ever shut up?' Makoto thinks to himself again. They went through the city and now they are in that slums part again. 'Damn it, I need to end this fast. My vision's starting to get hazy.'

"Okay, Last offer, Two holy coins and I will go to that date with you."

'It doesn't help that she doesn't stop talking either.' Makoto looks around the part he's now in. He doesn't exactly know which part of the slum he's in since they all seems to be filled with run-down buildings. 'Is there something I can use here?' The only things here are pieces of woods and trash. 'I may be able to use that.'

Makoto runs towards a sizable piece of wood he could use.

"Oh you accept my offer. I KNEW IT! You are after me, aren't you?"

Without saying anything back, Makoto picks up the wood and…'Good thing I'm good at archery…' throws it towards the girl's feet.

"Wah!"The girl tumbles down to a nearby wall as her footing got lost. "Oof!"

'…Actually, scratch that. I'm best at everything.' Makoto makes a victory smirk then his wound aches again. "Ahh!", 'I almost forgot about this.…No matter. After taking the insignia back, all I need to do is find Satella and hopefully she can heal me back.…I mean how hard could it be to find a white haired girl with weird ears…'.

….

….

'I probably should have thought ahead. Didn't I?' Makoto walks towards the girl now trying to stand up.

"Ahh, My head…" Makoto goes near her and takes the blade from her belt. "Ah, My dag-" *Sching*

But, she was stopped by Makoto pointing the blade at her throat.

"Uck!"

"I may be called a Messiah, But I ain't above threatening kids."

"Ca-calm down, nii-chan. Th-there's no need to get v-violent here."

"…I don't want to here that from the one who stabbed me."

"T-Th-that was mistake. An-an-d I did apologize, didn't I?"

"…Doesn't matter." Makoto puts the blade near her throat that it almost touches. "I will ask you one time." *Gulp*."Give me the insi-" *Bwack, then suddenly his vision faded to black.

x-x

….

….

'Ahhh, my head hurts.'

"Uhh, Jiji, he's waking up."

"Heh, told you I can do first-aid."

'It's so noisy. Shut up.'

"He seems to be having trouble, though."

'Ah, shut up.'

"Don't worry, I got here the best medicine for that."

"God, will you guys sh-" *Fwoosh* He was stopped mid sentence as some sort of liquid was thrown to his face. 'Is this water?…I hope it's water.', "What did you just splash me with?"

"Hehe, be grateful that you can drink some of my booze, kid."

Makoto tries to look at that bellowing, annoying voice. "Hm!?" ,a large man with no hair, (actually why is he this large?), stands in front of him with a stupid grin in his face. 'Isn't that old man…', Makoto remembered his premonition again, 'If he's here, that must mean I…' Makoto looks around the place he's in. 'It can't be…', he couldn't see the house clearly before…after…that doesn't matter. But, there's no mistake. This is the house where he was killed and gonna be killed off before long judging by the sun's dim light coming through the window. 'I ran around the whole city just to get back here.'

"You're finally awake huh? Crazy Nii-chan." He looks towards the voice and to his surprise( not really, that voice is unmistakable), he sees felt sitting on a stool behind a bar. "I hope you're now learnt of what happened when you try to cross one of the people of slums." Felt said to him with a mischievous smirk.

"Felt, why the hell did you bring this kid here?" The old man asked turning towards the girl.

"Well, he was kinda bleeding and he was hit in the head? What if he dies?"

"Yeah, what If He Dies in my house? I don't need a dead body, thank you." The old man said again glaring down at the little girl. But even though he's so much bigger than her, the girl doesn't seen fazed.

"Jiji, aren't you the one yapping on and on about how you can do first aid?", 'First aid,' True, his wound doesn't feel like it's bleeding anymore. 'I feel like I should thank her…wait, that wouldn't have happened if she didn't stab me in the first place.'

"It doesn't matter." Makoto's voice stop the bickering old man and little girl and they both turns towards him. Makoto said as he gets up, "We need get out of here fast, there's someone who's-….…", then he realized he can't get up. Makoto looks down at his body.

"…Can you tell me why am I tied up?" He was tied up in both his hands and feet to a chair.

"…Huh, you just noticed that right now!?", 'No need to add insult to injury, old man. I know I'm a bit of a scatter brained.'

"…Just answer my question, why am I tied up.…Seeing that you patch me up, I don't think you plan to kill me."

"Yeah, we may be thieves but we are not killers. As for why we didn't dump you after patching you up…ask her." The old man said pointing towards felt while drinking from the mug again. And Makoto turns to her for answer with a tilt of his head.

"…Don't look at me like that I have my reasons." Then she chugs down the cup in front of her. "…I was meant to meet my-" *Knock, Knock*

"Um?", "Huh?", "…." *Knock, Knock*

"Do they know the password?" The old man asked towards felt.

"Oh, I didn't mention it." Felt thought to herself for a moment. "That was probably for me, I'll go check." Saying that she went towards the door.

'I didn't see her body and seeing how fast she can run fast hand, I wonder if she will not be killed.' True, in his premonition the whole place is dark and he never have the chance to clearly search but… 'I can't take the chance.'

"Old man, listen to me." Makoto turns towards the large man,(actually he can't and didn't turn, he was fixed in that position, all of his hands and feet were tied), "We need to get out of here fast, or otherwise all of us gonna be killed."

"…Huh? Kid, you do know that I'm the one who's drunk, right?"

"I know, but trust m-"

"Or don't tell me,…"

"…You'll believe me?" He did try to warn because that was a reasonable thing to do, he never thought it was gonna work.

"Did you get drunk from before when I dunked that booze on you?"

….

….

…."…I seriously don't know how to answer to that."

"WaHahaha," the old man lets out a big bellowing, which means annoying, laugh. "Don't piss your sissy pants, kid. Nobody gonna dies, today.…But, if anyone tries something funny," The old man stood up from his seat and went to take a big,…enormous club. "… Let's just say, they won't have the chance to laugh, WaHahahaha." The old man laughs at his own joke. 'He sure does remind me of someone.…That guy was annoying, too.'

"I was right, it was for me." Felt sounded near again. "Over here, care to sit down." Felt said to someone behind him.

'There's someone here? who is it?' Makoto turns around to look behind. '…Ah, damn it I hate those two.' Makoto, with great effort, turns around and look at the newcomer. A beautiful, voluptuous, mature looking woman stands at the door with rather revealing clothes. '…hm, Jumpei and Ryoji would really like to meet her. She was exactly their type.…A girl.'

"There seems to be several outsiders here.", 'Um!?'

"Well, I'd be in trouble if you bilked on me."

"I know this older fellow, But who's this young man?" The woman said looking towards him.

'…Crap,…she's the one, isn't she?' Makoto remembers the every little details of his supposed death at this woman's hands, that even the place she's cut is starting to feel hurt. '…wait, why did it actually hurts?…oh right.' Then he remembered about the wound which felt inflicted. 'Forget about it, I need to get out of here fast. ' Thinking that Makoto tries to break free from the rope holding him down.

"Um, actually, I know we agreed on the prices and stuff, but I want to change something."

"Ara? What's the matter?", '…Could I leave these two to their demise?…', Then Makoto remembered about an old man with his hand cut off dying in a pool of his own blood. '…Damn me and my messiah complex…although it's not a complex anymore.'

"Yes, there's a very big matter." Felt said glancing towards him. "When you told me to steal the insignia for the first time, you didn't tell me the girl can use magic!"

"Is that so? Maybe it must have slipped my mind." The woman said back putting on a kind smile.

"Magic? Felt, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. BUT!" Felt loudly shouted putting up a finger. "What you didn't tell me is there's another complete nutjob wanting the insignia, too!" Then she loudly shouted pointing at Makoto and all eyes fall onto him.

"Um?" while he was still trying to break free of the rope. '…damn it felt,…I'm gonna kill that girl…', Makoto looks towards the woman to see her looking at him intensely. Then her eyes turned to the place where the old man did sorry excuse of a first aid which is now soaked red. *Slurp*

Then she did that creepy thing with her tongue while looking at him with crazy eyes. 'Come on,…come on…'

"Ahahahaha," Then suddenly the woman laughed out loud. "I think I understand where you're going with this, little miss." Then she takes her eyes off from him and turns towards felt. "…but, still, you can't blame the boy, I know all about how it feels to work for a client."

"…client?"

"It's true, I'm not the one who wants the insignia, it's my client…ah, don't tell me my client also asked for you? I wouldn't surprised, he looked really like a fool."

"…I highly doubt it…"

"Is that so? That's unfortunate." The woman said with what can be pass as a sad face. "…But, little miss, unexpected hazards on the job are your concerns, not mine, isn't it?", 'Ah, I see…she keeps me here to ask for extra fees…'

"Ye-yeah, that's true, but…", ' But, Looks like she didn't think ahead.'… "Yea-yeah, but, my services aren't cheap, you know."

"Ahaha, you don't have to worry about it, little miss." Then she walked to the bar counter, which is really near him. Then she takes out a pouch. 'From where?', "As luck would have it, my client sent me with extra funds, I know we agreed on ten holy coins but I hope this is enough for your… extra services…" Then she dumped the whole contents onto the counter.

"HUH!" , "Wah!", "….". 'Coins?'

Then the old man counts the coins like a kid. "…one…two….…Twenty exactly…"

"T-tw-twenty!" Felt said like she couldn't believe her ears and walked over to the counter.

"Ehehe," The woman laughs softly watching to the girl. "…But, I'm afraid I can't give you more than that."

"No, no…this is enough. Here, take it." Felt said throwing a small thing towards her.

The woman catches it and when he looks closely, it was a small triangle like stone with a red jewel in the middle. The woman seems satisfied and pocketed it. 'To where?' , "Pleasure doing business with you." Then she turns around and walks out…before she suddenly stopped.

"By the way…you, handsome nii-san…"

Both felt and the old man also stopped admiring the coins and looked towards them.

"…What do you intend to do with this insignia…if you get it?…"

….

….

Makoto looks at the woman to see her turns around towards him. "…what else?…find the owner and give it back to her, of course."

"UM!?"

"…I see,…you're with them, then." *Glok, *Schingg*

Makoto suddenly lies down, taking both his chair and him to the floor as a blade passed through over the place where his head should've been. "Tch, finally free." Then finally the rope tightening him finally broke and he uses the bar counter to moves forward passing under the woman, although because his legs were still in rope, both the chair and him were passed through her.

…But, the woman jumps elegantly and dodges him, and he stopped his momentum using his free hand. "Ahh!", 'Damn it, I forget about that wound again.'

"Ehehe, you have good instincts. I like it."

"Uhyaaaaaa!" Both him and the woman looks towards the voice to see the old man running to her, carrying his oversized club. *Bang* Even the floor was caved in from the force.

But, the woman dodged the strike easily. "I did not intend fight a giant, yet…but, uh, it doesn't matter. I have to killed both of you to tied up the loose ends after all."

"Quiet, little girl! I'll grind you up and feed you to the rats!" The old man attacks relentlessly but the woman just dodged them easily.

'Damn it, that old fool gonna get killed', Makoto bends himself to free the rope from his feet. 'Ahhhh, damn it. I can't bend because of that wound.' Makoto looks back at the old man again. He's in weird position so, he kinda sees them upside down. The old man attacks after attacks, destroying most of the things in the building but the woman just dodges them all easily, her smiles never faltering.

'Um?', "Felt! Come and untie me quick!"

"How do you know my name!?"

"It doesn't matter, hurry up!"

"Tch!" Felt runs over towards him at uncanny speed. He also sees the woman smiling at him.

"Don't worry, " Felt reaches him and said, "There's no way Old man Rom gonna lose." Although she said that there's some kind of uncertainty in her voice. And she can't keep her eyes away from the fight even when she's trying to untie the rope.

Finally she freed one of his legs. "Great, now to the oth-"

"Take this!" The old man loudly shouted as he swings his club at the woman. "Ehe," The woman lets out a small laugh as she dodges to the side and…*Swash, cut the entire old man's arm clean.

"AHHHHH!"

"JIJI!"

"Damn it! I can at least take you with me!"

"Did anyone ever say…", The woman stab her blade squarely at the old man's neck, making his blood falls down like waterfall. "…that you are kinda annoying?" The old man lets out a gurgled noise then he falls back down…lifelessly.

….

….

"You bitch…how DARE you?"

"Felt, Don't look at it, listen to me!"

"Ara, you also wants to fight, too, Little miss?"

"Don't listen to her. Just listen to me!"

"But, if you resist. You might as well get hurt."

"I'll kill you even if you don't fight back, you psychopath!"

"If you move around, my hands might slip. I'm quite rough at handling blades, you see."

"Don't fall for her provocation! Just untie me, you only've done one."

"Sorry, you got caught up in this."

"I don't need you apologies, just untie me!" Suddenly, the girl vanishes from her spot almost likes a mirage. 'Damn it!' *Swash, she suddenly appears beside the woman and slashes her dagger down, but the woman sees it coming and dodges to the side.

"How wonderful. I can see you are loved by this world. …I envy you." *Swash* 'Ah!' The woman spins around and attacks with a downward slash entirely cutting the little girl, making her blood splatter to the surrounding. The girl didn't even have the chance to make a sound.

"No..." Makoto's eyes darken and his voice almost comes out like a whisper as the body of a girl known as felt falls lifelessly towards the floor.

x-x

"The old man and the girl have fallen." The woman said with a smile. "Are you still gonna st-" Then suddenly she feels something. "What?"

And when she turns around, she saw the visage of death in front of her face. "What are y-?" Then it suddenly grabbed her head and slammed it down towards the floor. "Ah!" The force was so strong that she even bounced back. Then a kick connected to her face and she was blown back away towards the wall. *Bang, *Clang, clang*. Numerous things from the shelves fell down making noises.

'What happened?' The woman feels that her noise was broken,with blood spilling down and her whole faces hurts even when she blinks. Then the woman looks towards the thing that kicks her to see the boy from before standing. The chair was still tied to one of his feet and the wound where he was bandaged was bleeding profusely, dripping down towards the floor. The boy watches over the scene with lifeless silvery eyes that seems to be shining. '…Beautiful!'

"That old man was annoying…" The boy said looking towards the body of the old man, his blood still spilling down. "…And this girl stabbed me…" He said again looking downwards to the body of the girl in front of her. "…but, they didn't deserve to die…more so in the presence of their messiah."

"Ehehe, I know you were interesting from the moment of I saw you. But, I didn't think yo-", She hasn't finish talking when the boy suddenly appeared right in front of her. "Um!"

"…I don't remember giving you the permission to speak." *Boom* Then she felt something kicked her face again making her head stuck in the wall.

….

….

"Ehehehe!" Makoto looks towards the voice. "Ahahahahaa!" Then suddenly a blade comes slicing through the air to his head. Although he was still tied to a chair, Makoto dodged the attack with ease, his face still emotionless.

The woman was still laughing although her face is a mess. Her nose is bent and her cheek is swollen with purple. And she can't seem to open her left eye anymore as blood was seeping down from there. But, the smile from the woman never falters. "More! More!" The woman starts attacking wildly, with her one eye filled with lust, shouting madly.

Makoto suddenly catches the blade with his hand, making his hand bleed. "Enough of this." *Clang* The blade breaks off into several pieces under his hand force.

"Uh?" The woman's grin falters for a moment, but it suddenly appears again wider than before. "That was a bad move, boy!" She took out another blade out and then spun around and stabbed it right into Makoto's heart. *Squish* Blood sprouted out from the place towards her face. "Hahahahaha!" The woman laughed manically then she turned towards the boy to see his face still the same, looking towards the place where the blade was struck with emotionless eyes. "H-how?"

The woman lets go of her grip on his blade and walks backwards about two steps before she feels an uncontrollable fear, making her falls down on her butt.

The woman looks towards the boy and another surge of fear appears. The boy's face still unchanging. He then took out the blade that's stuck on his heart, with not even a hint of pain appearing on his face.

"It's useless…"

"…what-what are you!?"

"…That thing stopped beating long ago." Makoto walks towards the woman shaking with fear, with the blade in hand and with blood spilling down from the place where his heart is and also from the bandaged part.

"…You are not human, aren't you? What are you!?"

Makoto holds the blade up in the air.

….

….

"…Who knows…" The last thing the woman saw was a being with jaw-bone like head bringing down a sword at her head.

x-x

"Hnngh." Makoto sits down at the stairs in front of the building, staring towards at the sky. The sun hasn't fully set, yet. But, you can see the silhouette of the moon.

'The moon.'…Makoto looks back towards the house. The door's already closed but he knows the state of the building inside.

'Can I still be called a Messiah, if I can't even save an old man and…one little girl?'

Makoto lies down on the stairs. "…So, this is how it ends…huh. A messiah who beats the death…dies from bleeding…, it almost sounds funny…"

"Puck! Look over there!"

'Hm', Makoto cranes his head to look at the voice.

"He's wounded. Hurry up." Saying that the girl runs towards him.

A small smile appears on his face. 'Satella…was my help even matter if you can find this place by yourself?'

The girl finally reaches him. "Hey, are you okay? Don't close your eyes. I will heal you, alright?" Then a small paw touches her shoulder.

"Emilia, it's too late. He's already lost too much blood."

"But, we still have to try!"

Makoto watches as the girl frantically trying to heal him. This was the last scene he saw before his vision faded to black.

'What do you mean by Emilia? Huh, Puuk?'

x-x

"Ma-o-s-"

'A voice?'

"Mak-"

"Ummm" Makoto opens his eyes too see he's in a pitch black space. 'Where am I?' He feels that he's slowly sinking. 'What is this place?' Then he looks around the space.

'Hm?' Images suddenly appear on the space, almost like a projector. He saw a blue haired boy catching a woman's blade. He saw a blue haired boy being tied to a chair by a big old man. He saw a red haired man watching a boy trying to chase the girl. He saw a white haired girl shouting towards a boy who ignores her and runs away. 'What are these?' *Growl* , 'What's that noise?', *Rawrr* , 'What is that?' *RAWRRR!*

Then numerous cracks appear at one side, then a being in a jet black suit came crashing through it with its head like a pure white bone of an animal. *Rawarr!*

'Thanatos!?'

"Makoto-san!"

'No, Ryoji!?'

"I'm coming!" It didn't finish its sentence as numerous black hands began to drag him back. "Gah! These things are persistent!"

"Ryoji!"

"Makoto-san!" He holds on but multiples black hands appear again, dragging him back. "Makoto-san, this isn't a dream! They are all real!"

"What are you-"

"All of those are real. They are not premonitions." 'Hm?', "Stay safe! I'm coming to save yo-" Then suddenly he sinks to the darkness.

x-x

Light began to fills his vision.

'…too bright…'

Then he started to hear voices.

'What now?'

''Hey, you with the blue hair, are you traveling?"

"Hm? What?"

"Huh, I asked you if you were traveling?" Makoto looks at the man with wide eyes. Then he suddenly turns around, left, right and up then again and again.

"Huh, kid, What are you doing?" But, Makoto ignores him and stares at his hand.

"Ryoji, what do you mean it was all real?"

"What?"

"…If that was all real, then why am I still alive?" Then he turns towards the sky. "Just what had happened to me?

Just what is this place?"

-x-x-

**Well, another chapter. But don't get used to it. The next update gonna takes longer than this.**

**And to address the questions, Yes, there's gonna be persona. Otherwise I would just write an OC re zero story. And no, Makoto (minato whatever) not gonna stay this weak all the time. And, no. He's not gonna stop dying so much because you know, 'Re zero'. And this wasn't actually asked but other persona characters will appear in this.**


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